The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-03-24
Our Parish Mystery.

little village IN Kent was destined 10 immortal
itv. Il was one OF the most commonplace OF
English homlcts. Inhabited only by fishermen
md farm !sborers. Our ylcaragc, the grange
aud pretty little cottage called Sea View,
we're the only respectable houses in the place
Ga oar nfival ut ,hc parsonage Sea View cot
iaec was 90 let, aud so all the society that
was to I've had vas that Of the grange people
Sac squire and his family. Now, though Mr.
aud Mrs. Dale we're excellent pcoplc in Their
way a-ld very bospitabc there was certainN
.nwe excuse Tor our wishing for an occasional
,hange Of society, aud all the more so that We
had come 10 Saudyuie from one OF the most
fashionable towns In the north OF England 1t
was therefore with great pleasure that we
heard one day from Mrs. Dale that Sea View
cottage had az last found a tenant.
"Aud more than mere tenant, added the
,nurr radianty; "a person OF great dlsliHc-
ilnu. consider that that piece of house
property hns trched in value siucc signed
the tease With Mrs. Mort
MORT" cried. You dOnt mean James
Mort, the AZ thor OF 'GcorgetteW
the same" answered Mrs Dale, sming
40 doubt at my having confessed myself .
rruNcf Ni NOhtlS, 'ANc ElthN hN't''ot' ~ h"-
taken the house for nine wears"
"liayc you seen him. What Is he like" |
asked uuYiousiy.
.,No We have only seen his wife. She
ramc over from Dover Yesterday. They have
iu,t arrived from Paris, where Mr. Mort has
nccn living. lie was too fatigucd to accom-
aany her Thr passage from Calais had
greatly upset him Mrs. Mort seems charm
ug person, though rather peculiar"
sand when are they coming to live here"
AS soon as the house is in order. We have
got the men In now. lobson promised TO have
It ready In fortnight
About three weeks later my husband and |
allied on our new parishouers. We were re-
.ciycd by Mrs. Mort, who answered the bell
herself.
"Thc parsor aud his wife, | should say from
your look Come in. don't keep servant
you see. Don't make a noise. This way,
please
was somewhat astonishcd at thls welcome
which was gruaiy aud abruptly spoken My
husband could &c" from his prctcrnaturally
solemn expression was making violent effort
to control his laughter. Certainly Mrs. Mort
,ut a very comlcal figure. She was tall, fat
woman, with a yery red face aud was dressed
in a black gown that might have bceu made In
Paris under the frst empire. Tho waist came
up Ia close beneath tue breast and was cir
rlcd with lowing white SASH Her hair was
cut quite short, like mnu's.
SURPRISING oiir laughter as best we could VIC
followed her into the drawing groom. We were
surprised % find that the windows, which com
handed an excellent view Of the sea. had been
rlaslered oyer with red paper, which COM
pIctciy hid the outside aud cast luri
and unpleasant light over the interior of
the room. The furnllure consisted OF sofa
covered with black stuff. two arm-chairs en-
suite, two other chairs, piano and round
table. There was no carpet on the floor and
the walls were simply whitewashed The cell
Ing was stack over with black paper. On the
tabic were various hooks. which | recognized,
by their titles as Mrs, Morris work. picture
with It's face turned to the wall, hung over the
niauo Over the door was fixed bracket on
which stood a large pasteF-c'sf bast the head
or With was cxtingushcd undera paper fools
cap
''Wc'l take the weather for granted said
Mes. Mort, ncNoniug us to sit down. Lets
talk OF something else"
Nv husband behaved like darling. am
eertain that II hal opened my mouth at that
moment should have hurst into fits OF
laughter He saw thIs aud came 60 the
reissue.
"Wo hone YOU are comfortably settled In
your new home, Mrs Mort" ~ said. How
10 you like Sandwich"
'Sandyille, Oh, yes. Know nothing about
It." retorted the lady.
She had not sat down, but was standing
with her back to the wall, with her hands ba-
hind her
You have not had the time to sec the
place YETI continued my husband. ut is
nuict, but very charming. There are some de
ligltful walks by the seaside 1t is just the
place for literary man. Mr.. Mort viii be
delighted with IT,"
1ohl will hei" answered his wife
"I,y the way. how Is he" | asked. 1--WE
had hoped TO see him. trust he is not un'
welt"
''No, he's asleep"
"Asleepi I presume he has not recovered
from the fatigue of his journey
NO. Il isn't that. He always sleeps In the
day. tie works at night Il is an imitation
Of Balzac Balzac, you know, used to 90 to
bed at Sand get upat IL. Mort goes to bed
at Gin the morning aud gets up at 10 In the
evening lie has his tub then, aud his break
lasl, and begins writing Immediately after
ward; when say writing mean composing.
lie dictates, | write. | have been his rec
rotary for years. Ever since he started as a
novelist. IN fact.
.'You must find II very fatiguing work"
said. hope you get your proper sleep"